I am writing this from the bath because it’s the only place no one follows me

Dear Delyara, That sentence made me laugh when I thought it, and then it made me sad. The bathroom has become my unofficial border. If I shut this door and turn the water on, there are at least a few minutes where no one asks me for anything practical, emotional, or logistical. It is the closest thing to an unshared room I have on some days. I don’t say that to sound tragic. I have a family, and I love them. But love doesn’t cancel the need for a door that means not now. So here I am, in hot water, listening to the pipes knock a little, knowing I will get out and re-enter everything in a few minutes. But right now it is only me, and that feels necessary enough to write down.